Circuit for electric discharge devices



A ril 19, 1938.

G. E. INMAN CIRCUIT FOR ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICES Filed Dec. 8, 1936 Inventor George EIInman,

' fiz /Attorneyatented Ai is, less Q 2,114,842

air ines 7 CIRCUIT F0193. EHJECITRHC DESGEtARGE BEVIKCES George E. Hnman, East Cleveland, tllhio, assignor to Genet-at Electric @ompany, a corporation of New York tiippiication December 8, H36, Serial No. 114,7 3? 4 Claims. (oi. lid- 1M) My invention relates to electric discharge deis wound with a few additional turns 26 connected vices generally and more particularly to starting to the end thereoflthe coil it being connected at and operating circuits for such devices. its other end by a conductor 22, through a switch The starting voltage of gaseous electric dis- 23, to the conductor it. The coil 2i is thereby 5 charge devices is usually higher than the operatconnected across the line when the switch. 23 is g ing,voitage thereof and it is therefore necessary closed and constitutes the primary of a voltage to employ auxiliary equipment to-provide the step-up auto-transformer, of which the coils l8 diiierent voltages. One of the objects or my inand it constitute the secondary.

vention is to provide a circuit which retains a low To start the lamp, the switch 95 is first closed operating loss in the auxiliary equipment and yet and then the switch 23 is closed momentarily, 10

provides certain starting. Another object is to thus impressing a. high voltage (about 300 volts,

provide a simplified circuit employing inexpensive for example, for a lamp eighteen inches long and auxiliary equipment. Another object is to provide one inch in diameter) across the lamp it) due to a circuit in which the means for obtaining the the auto-transformer action of the choke i8 and higher starting voltage is combined with the. its added winding 29. After the lamp has startmeans for ballasting the discharge device during ed, the switch 23 is opened, thus leaving the operation thereof. Other objects and advantages choke winding 83 to act as the customary ballast of my invention will appear from the following for the'lamp. The number of added turns 2!? dedescription of species thereof and from the drawpends, of course, upon the number of turns in the choke I8 since the ratio between the two Referring to the drawing; Fig. 1 is a diagramwindings determines the voltage available for matic representation of a starting and operating starting. 4

circuit comprising my invention, and Fig. 2 isa In the circuit shown in Fig. 2, both the primary modification thereof. 2i and the secondary it of theauto-transformer In the drawing, Ill indicates somewhat diaare connected in series with the lamp iii across 25 grammatically, a gaseous electric discharge lamp the terminals I5 2c of the current source. Both of the positive column type comprising a tubular the starting and operating circuit are closed in container orenvelope H and may be of the type this case by a single switch 24 comprising a. movshown in my application Serial No. 75,772, filed able contact 25, a resilient contact 26 and a sta- April 22, I936. Said container M has a gasetionary contact 21. To start the lamp, the mov- 3o,

ous atmosphere therein, preferably a few milliable contact 25 is first brought into engagement meters of -a rare gas, such as argon, and a small with the resilient contact 26 which is then caused quantity of a vaporizable metal, such as mercury. to momentarily engage the stationary contact 21,

The container. has electrodes i2 and i3 sealed thus placing the primary 2| of the transformer therein at the ends thereof. said electrodes may l8, 2| across the terminals 20 0f the c rr nt 35 consist of a coiled or a coiled-coil filament of resource through co d 22 and 9 to 1m fractory metal, such as tungsten, havinga coat- Dress high Voltage across the p Af e ing of electron emitting material, such as barium the lamp has started, the resilient contact 26 is oxide, thereon. The lamp I may, if desired, disengaged R0111 t a a y Contact 21 but 40 also have a starting strip consisting eta. (1011- remains in engagement with the movable con- 40 ductive material, such as graphite mixed with tact 25, thus leaving the primary 2! and secondpotassium silicate or a metallic paint, applied ary Ill o! the transformer in series with the lamp I to the surface of the container II and making It to act as the ballast therefor. In some cases electrical contact with one electrode and exit is desirable to increase the amount of iron over tending along the container to a position adjathat which is used in ordinary chokes and. if 45 cent the other electrode. the starting current runs too high, it may be The electrode 13 is connected by a conductor lowered by employing a magnetic shunt.

I4, through a switch 15, to the terminal IS of an What fl claim as new and. desire to secure by alt rnat r nt source r ample, H0 Letters Patent of the United States is:

volts. The elec r de 5? s connected y. a 1. A starting and operating circuit for a gaseductor I! to one end of a choke coil iii, the other u lectric discl'iarge device having electrodes end of which is connected by a conductor I9 to sealed therein comprising a current source, a the'other terminal 20 0f the al r ting curren voltage step-up transformer, at least a portion of 80111138, 80 that the choke coil '8 is in series with said transformer being continuously connected 55 the dis p The d choke 1 Is in series with said device across the terminals of said current source throughout the starting and operation of said device, and means to temporarily connect the primary of said transformer across the terminals of said current source to impress a high voltage across said device during the starting period, said portion of said transformer in series with the device serving as a ballast therefor during the operation thereof.

2. A starting and operating circuit for a gaseous electric discharge device having electrodes sealed therein comprising a current source, a voltage step-up transformer having its secondary continuously connected in series with said device across the terminals of said current source throughout the starting and operation of said device, and means to temporarily connect the primary of said transformer across the terminals of said current source to impress a high voltage across said device during the starting period, said secondary serving as a ballast for the device during operation thereof.

3. A starting and operating circuit for a gaseous electric discharge device having electrodes sealed therein comprising a current source, a choke coil continuously connected in series with said device across the terminals of said current source throughout the starting and operation of said device, said choke coil having additional windings connected to one end thereof, and means to temporarily connect said'additional windings across the terminals of said current source thereby constituting said choke coil and its additional windings a voltage step-up auto-transformer to impress a high voltage across said device during the starting period, said choke coil serving as a ballast for the device during operation thereof.

4. A starting and operating circuit for a gaseous electric discharge device having electrodes sealed therein comprising a current source, a voltage step-up auto-transformer connected in series with said device across the terminals of said current source, and means to temporarily connect the primary of said transformer across the terminals of said current source to impress a high voltage across said device during the starting period, the whole of said transformer serving as a ballast for the device during operation thereof.

GEORGE E. INMAN. 

